THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



113 



Lake, solemn, grim and grand, over two 

 thousand feet perpendicular; while still 

 beyond stands Mount Thielsen, the 

 lightning rod of the Cascades. Just to 

 the east of the lake is Mount S(Mjtt, 

 partly covered with snow , while cloFe to 

 the oampon the east is a high clff known 

 as Cathedral Rock, running far down to 

 the right and at last disappearing below 

 the tree tops. 



"Crater Lake is l)ut a striking me 

 mento of a dread past. Imagine a vast 

 mountain, six by seven miles througli, 

 at an elevation of eight thousand feet, 

 with the top removed and the inside 

 hollowed out, then filled with the clear- 

 est water in the world, to within two 

 thousand feet of the top, then place a 

 round island in one end eight hundred 

 and forty-five feet high, then dig a cir- 

 cular hole tapering to the center, like a 

 funnel, one hundred feet deep and four 

 hundred and seventy-live feet in diame- 

 ter, and you have a perfect representa- 

 tion of Crater Lake. 



"It is hard to comprehend what an 

 immense affair it is. To those living in 

 New York City, I would say, Crater 

 Lake is large enough to have Manhat- 

 tan, Randall's, Ward's and Blackwell's 

 Islands dropped into it, side by side 

 without touching the walls, or, Chicago 

 or Washington City might do the same. 

 Our own fair city of Portland with all 

 her suburbs, from the City Park to 

 Mount Tabor, and from Albina to Sell- 

 wood inclusive, could find ample room 

 on the bottom of the lake. On the other 

 hand if it were possible to place the lake, 

 at its present elevation, above either of 

 these cities, it would be over a mile up 

 to the surface of the water, and a mile 

 and three-quarters to the top of Llao 

 Rock. Of this distance, the ascent 

 wonld be through water for two thous- 

 and feet. To thosse living in New Hamp- 

 shire, it might be said, the surface of the 



water is twenty-three feet higher than 

 the summit of Mount Washington. 



'"What an immense affair it must have 

 been, ages upon ages ago, when, long 

 before the hot breath of a volcano soiled 

 its hoary, head, standing as a proud 

 monarch, with its feet upon earth and 

 its head in the heavens, it towered far, 

 far above the mountain ranges, aye, 

 looked far down upon the snow}' peaks 

 of Hood and Shasta, and snuffed the air 

 beyond the reach of Everest. Then 

 streams of fire began to shoot forth, 

 great seas of lava were hurled upon the 

 eartli beneath. The elements seemed 

 bent upon establishing hell upon earth 

 and fixing its throne upon this great 

 mountain. At last its foundation gave 

 way and it sank forever from sight. 

 Down, down, down deep into the bowels 

 of the earth, leaving a great, black, 

 smoking chasm, which succeeding ages 

 tilled with pure, fresh water, giving to 

 our day and generation one of the most 

 beautiful lakes within the vision of 

 man. 



"In conclusion I will say. Crater Lake 

 is one of the grandest points of interest 

 on earth. Here all the ingenuity of 

 nature seems to have been exerted to 

 the fullest capacity, to build one grand, 

 awe-inspiring temple, within which to 

 live and from which to gaze upon the 

 surrounding world and say : 'Here 

 would I dwell and live forever. Here 

 would I make my home from choice; 

 the universe is my kingdom, and this 

 mv throne.' " 



Eastern Department. 



ClONDUCTBD BY THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR. 



CHAT. 



Address all mail for Eastern Depart- 

 ment to Dr. C. C. Purdum, 274 North 

 Main Street- Providence, Rhode Island. 



